1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally t a device for dissolving a gas in a liquid and, in particular, or saturating a gas such as oxygen, air, or chlorine in a liquid such as water for purposes of purification, sterilization, clarification, and/or oxidation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Devices for dissolving a gas in a liquid, especially in water treatment, are well known. The solubility of a substance is the maximum amount of that substance that can be dissolved in a given amount of solvent at a specified temperature and pressure. In the case of a gas as the solute and a liquid as the solvent, in accordance with Henry's Law, the weight of gas which dissolves in a liquid at a given temperature is proportional to the partial pressure of the gas over the solution. The ultimate purpose for dissolving a gas such as oxygen in water is to remove impurities in the water through the chemical reactions resulting from the interaction of the oxygen and impurities residing in the water. For example, dissolved oxygen causes decomposition of organic wastes in water by increasing biological activity. Even though the chemistry of water treatment for waste removal and purification using gaseous solutes is well known, the devices shown in the prior art do not achieve the efficiency required to maximize saturation of the gas in water. U.S. Pat. No. 4,215,081, issued to Brooks on July 29, 1980, discloses a liquid aerator that uses a vertical cylinder having tangential inlets that creates a swirling action between the gas and the water to induce dissolution. Other devices such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,965 issued to Dudis et al on Apr. 29, 1975 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,452,966 issued to Smolski on July 1, 1969 use diffusers and bafflers to enhance interaction of air bubbles with the water.
The present invention increases the efficiency of the dissolution process using a non-complex apparatus by increasing the partial pressure of the gas and the time of interaction while the gas is being mixed in the liquid thereby operationally enhancing the most important factors for maximum saturation.